Assessing the impacts of Climate Change in Sunderbans

“Climate change is the most severe problem that we are facing today – more serious even than the threat of terrorism” –Sir David King, UK Chief Science Advisor

Nature Environment & Wildlife Society, (NEWS) implemented a project on ‘Assessing the impacts of Climate Change in the Sunderbans’.

It was inaugurated formally by British High Commissioner – Sir Richard Stagg on 10th February, 2008 in the Mathurakhand village of Sunderban. He was accompanied by his wife Ms Arabella Stagg & Mr Simon Wilson , the Deputy High Commissioner.

Funded By: British Deputy High Commission, Kolkata

Project Duration: 2008 (1 year)

Sunderban is the largest contiguous mangrove block of area 26,000 sq km. anyone who has spent any amount of time in mangroves knows; this forest is one of the toughest places on earth. Subject to rapid daily, monthly and annual variation in its physical environment, it has a remarkable ability to cope with extraordinary levels and types of stress. The Park Managers,the Conservation practitioners have to understand and use this capacity of mangroves to mitigate the impacts of climate change in the Sunderbans.

Resilience is the ability of a system to undergo, absorb and respond to change and disturbance while maintaining its functions. Building resilience into Mangrove conservation plan requires an understanding of how mangroves will respond to climate changes, what factors help them survive these changes and consequently which mangroves are most likely to survive these changes.

A mass awareness generation was conducted among the villagers, especially school children for understanding the importance of mangroves with respect to climate change. Interactions and meetings were conducted regularly with different stakeholders. Visits were arranged for school children to the forests and creeks of Sunderbans for their understanding of the typical terrain

Publications including booklets and posters were brought out.

An audio-visual documentation in the form of a short film was brought out from the project and was shared with stakeholders across the sectors, especially at village level.